Mike Foster's former room-mate and colleague Paul Marsden (left) this week surprised Westminster with his willingness to go "all the way and defect to the Liberal Democrats.

To rebel against the Government is not terribly uncommon particularly when it has a majority so large that it can afford to allow backbenchers to express themselves from time to time.

But crossing the floor of the Commons to join the Opposition is another thing altogether.

(The last time anyone left Labour to join the Liberals was as far back as 1974 although former Leominster MP Peter Temple-Morris went from the Tories to Labour in 1997.)

Most MPs had expected him to continue speaking out against the war in Afghanistan and his treatment by the Labour whips, etc.

However, it was thought unlikely he would dump the party he had appeared to serve so faithfully during his first term as an MP.

Indeed, it was thought more likely he would have the whip withdrawn in light of his description of Tony Blair as a lousy leader.

Mike Foster, (right) though, was not surprised when the Liberal Democrats called a press conference to announce the name of their new and 53rd MP on Monday.

Rebellious

Firstly, he had already had an insight into Mr Marsden's rebellious streak.

The pair shared a room from 1997 to 2000 but parted company last year amid disagreements over the fuel crisis.

Mike supported the Government line while Mr Marsden took up a position as the driver's friend.

But, more incisively, Mike already had evidence of Mr Marsden's willingness to pursue his grievances

all the way even when it only involved a broken fax machine.

Mike said: I remember there was one time when the office fax machine which was made by BT broke down.

Paul did not think about ringing a maintenance man he got straight on the phone to the chairman of BT!

He felt that he ought to know...

Bromsgrove MP Julie Kirkbride, meanwhile, gave her backing to Mr Marsden over his claim to have been roughed up by the Labour whips in Strangers' Bar at 3am.

She put her name to a Commons early day motion calling for Chief Whip Hilary Armstrong to "discipline those members of her office who have infringed acceptable methods of dealing with one of their own backbench colleagues.

The Labour whips concerned absolutely deny any wrongdoing but will have noted with interest that Mr Marsden is no longer their problem.